


Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

by stopitanxiety



Series: Falling In Love at a Coffee Shop AU [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, coffee shop AU, they're so cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 02:09:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21007982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stopitanxiety/pseuds/stopitanxiety





	Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

_ **Roman fell in love on a Tuesday, at the local coffee shop.** _

The sun was hanging lazily in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the city, its rays filtering gently through the crowded streets. Every so often, the tinkling of bells announced the arrival of a new caffeine-deprived customer to the cozy shop, where Roman was a regular patron. The soft, smooth jazz, alongside the rustic decor and kind hearted staff, presented an atmosphere unlike any other. The King’s Brew was, by far, the author’s preferred location to relax.

Today, however, Roman was anything but relaxed.

His deadline was approaching quickly and he still had to revise his work. Stress and lack of sleep weighed on the writer like a backpack of stones.

He retrieved his order from the counter— black coffee, three extra shots of espresso. He’d need it if he was to make it through the day.

Scanning the tables, he frowned when he saw his usual spot already occupied by a man with his back to Roman.

_That’s annoying._

But all the other tables were full, and Roman really needed to work. He prayed the man would be kind enough to permit him to share the booth.

He walked over to the booth and tapped the bespectacled man on the shoulder.

“Excuse me?”

The man looked up, and Roman immediately lost all coherent thought.

_Damn._

_This guy was hot._

“Yes?”

Striking blue eyes met soft brown ones, and Roman had to compose himself before speaking.

“Uh, sorry to interrupt you. All the other tables are full and I was wondering if I could sit here? I understand if you say no I mean it’s kinda weird for me to ask but I—“

“You can sit here. It’s no bother to me.”

Roman blushed deeply and slid into the booth across from the smirking man, who went back to typing on his laptop. Roman pulled out his own computer and notebook, stuck a stray lock of hair behind his ear, and began to scribble notes in the margins of his draft.

A long stretch of productive silence passed. Roman set down his pen and took a sip of his coffee, risking a glance at the other man. He was pleasantly surprised to see the other blush and quickly look back down at his laptop, embarrassed at having been caught staring.

“Enjoying the view?”

“I assure you, I have no idea what you mean.”

Roman let a half smile appear on his lips.

“Uh huh. Whatever you say, Specs.”

“It’s Logan, actually.”

Logan adjusted his glasses, still avoiding eye contact. Roman closed his laptop and sat back in the booth, relaxed and confident.

“Logan, hm? I like that. I’m Roman. Roman Prince.”

The two men fell back into a comfortable silence, sipping their coffee and losing themselves in their thoughts.

Roman began to doodle in his notebook.

“What are you working on, Roman? You seem stressed.”

“That obvious, huh?”

The author sighed and smiled weakly.

“I’m writing a fantasy novel, actually. My deadline is in two months, and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to finish by then.”

Logan nodded thoughtfully, taking another sip of coffee.

“What about you? What are you working on?”

“Lesson plans. I’m an astronomy professor at the university.”

Roman made a face.

“Ew, _school.”_

Logan laughed, and the author could feel his heart melting.

_Goddamn his hopeless romantic heart_.

“It’s not _that_ bad, in my opinion. I find it to be a rather rewarding experience. I know I could never do what you do. Fantasy worlds are not my jam.”

“I get that. It’s harder than you’d think, honestly. I have so many ideas, and sometimes it gets overwhelming.”

“Understandable.”

The sun began to crawl across the sky while the pair talked and laughed, both blissfully unaware of the passing of time. The world seemed to fade away around them.

It was near noon when the teacher finally checked the time.

Logan looked at his watch and cursed under his breath.

“_Shit_. I’m gonna be late for my meeting.”

The teacher quickly stuffed his laptop and papers into his backpack before standing. He stuck out a hand towards Roman.

“It was nice to meet you, Roman. Good luck with your writing.”

Roman took the offered hand and shook it, a smile slipping onto his face.

“The feeling is mutual, Logan. Good luck with your lesson plans.”

And with a little wave, Logan and his twinkling blue eyes left the shop, unknowingly taking a piece of Roman’s heart with them.

* * *

_ _

_**Fate seemed to be determined to push the two together at every turn. **_At least once a week, Logan and Roman would happen upon each other all over the city—the grocery store, the library, the gym, even the zoo.

And of course, the coffee shop.

It had become a silent agreement that Logan would sit in the same booth at the same time, every Tuesday morning. Roman would show up, order his coffee, and slide into the booth across from the teacher. Sometimes they would speak, other times they would simply work in silence.

It was on one of those quiet Tuesday mornings that Roman noticed a rainbow flag pin stuck to Logan’s backpack.

“Hey Teach?”

“What is it?”

“Is that a pride pin?”

Logan smiled to himself, and marked another question wrong on the test he was grading.

“It is indeed.”

Roman raised a brow, prompting Logan to continue.

Apparently the teacher misunderstood the expression, because the smile quickly fell from his face, replaced with a frown and a hint of disappointment.

“If that’s a problem—“

“Oh no no no! It’s no problem. It’s _perfect_, actually. I am too. I mean! I’m _not_ perfect— it’s just— It’s not— _I’m_ not— dammit.”

The author hid his burning face behind his notebook. Now would be a _wonderful_ time for the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

But then Logan giggled, and Roman experienced the horribly intense wonder of total gay panic.

“Is it safe to assume you are also gay?”

Logan continued to tease the still panicking Roman, who simply nodded in response. There was no way in hell he would trust his voice at the moment.

Not with Logan smiling at him like that.

“Well, it is good to have a friend who understands.”

Roman nodded again, and pointedly avoided making eye contact with the teacher. He turned to his laptop and tried to calm himself down. He almost succeeded, until a balled up napkin was thrown at his nose, pulling his attention back up to Logan’s beautiful eyes. And the burning face came right back, along with the internal gay screaming. Logan was smirking at him.

“You’re blushing, Roman.”

“Shut up and grade your papers.”

* * *

_ _

_ **Logan fell in love on a Saturday, at the park near his apartment.** _

The week before finals was a tiring one. Desperate students would bargain for extra points, teachers were assigning projects to fulfill their grade requirements, and everyone was in a general state of disaster. It was at times like these that Logan would retreat to his special place—the park. The large city he lived in was nice, but nothing beat the beauty of nature.

The sun had set about an hour before, revealing the stars Logan loved so much. He unfolded his blanket and spread out on top of it. He began to name the constellations.

_Ursa Major._

_Orion._

_Andromeda._

“Logan?”

The teacher let out a shrill squeak of surprise. It was unusual for anyone to be out here at this hour of the night. Logan sat up quickly to greet the visitor.

“Roman? What are you doing here?”

The author rubbed the back of his neck, grateful for the cover of night that concealed his blush.

“I saw you come out here and wondered if you wanted company.”

“You saw me?”

Roman’s eyes went wide and he panicked.

“Not like in a _weird_ way! I was going to the lake over the hill,” He pointed across the park. “And I saw you walking over here….”

“You’re welcome to join me, if you want.”

Running a hand through his hair, Roman sank to the ground beside the teacher. Logan resumed his previous position, lying back against the blanket and gazing up at the stars. Roman mirrored the action, resting the back of his head on his hands.

Tracing the familiar paths between stars, Logan returned to naming the constellations, albeit with less focus than before. The author at his side was distracting and intriguing, like a puzzle half solved.

Logan wanted nothing more than to solve the puzzle.

“How much do you know about the constellations?”

“I don’t know much about the real ones. I make up my own.”

Logan propped himself up with one arm, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

“Really?”

Roman smiled softly at the sky, and raised an arm to paint a picture in the stars.

“Yeah. I create little stories around them. It helps me get over writer’s block.”

Logan looked up again, gazing out over the sky with a new appreciation for the stars. Such untapped potential hung between them. So many untold stories to be discovered. Roman had reignited the child like wonder of the cosmos within him.

“Could you tell me one of your stories?”

“Sure.”

The author closed his eyes and smiled, taking a moment to choose his tale. Logan grabbed the opportunity to rake his eyes over the man, appreciating his well fitting shirt and tight jeans.

_Focus, Logan. Not the time._

“Got it. Look here.”

Roman pointed up to the sky, drawing imaginary lines between stars to create the figure of a man.

“That man is a knight from a kingdom far away. His job was to protect the people and serve the king.”

Another group of stars were connected to form a small child.

“His son was an artist, free spirited and emotional. The knight was angry, because he wanted his son to follow his footsteps and join the military.”

Logan was beginning to suspect Roman was drawing from his own experiences. The author spoke quietly and without hesitation, as though he knew the story by heart.

“The son was afraid of fighting. He despised the aggressiveness of his father and his friends. So the son ran away.”

Roman drew another celestial shape, depicting a man holding an object.

“The son grew up to be an artist. He played music, sang songs, wrote books, and painted murals. He was well known and respected, but his father still resented him.”

“The father was a fool.”

“Maybe so. But the son was _also_ a fool.”

“What? Why? He was being held back and persecuted when he was with his father. He succeeded in his desired career after escaping. How would _he_ be a fool?”

Roman fell quiet for a moment, staring unseeingly into the night.

“The son was prideful. When the father came to his senses and expressed his guilt and apology for the past, the son insulted his father. And the father died without ever having been reconciled with his son.”

Neither of them spoke for a long while. The wind rustled the leaves and the grass, and crickets chirped brightly around them. Finally, Logan whispered softly to the open air, choosing his words carefully.

“I think the father would have been proud of his son regardless of whether or not his love was reciprocated.”

“Yeah, right. But that doesn’t mean the son _deserved_ his father’s love. He made too many mistakes.”

“The son is human. Humans _always_ make mistakes. But then they move on, and learn from their past. The son, hopefully, will remember his father and know not to hold grudges. He will remember his father and learn to be forgiving of others.”

Roman offered the teacher a weak smile. An unspoken look of understanding passed between the two men.

“It’s just a story, teach. No need to look so concerned.”

“I know, Roman. I’m merely expressing my opinion.”

“I’m sure the son would have appreciated it.”

“I’d hope so. And if the son ever needed to talk to someone, he should know I am here for him.”

“Thank you, Logan.”

“Of course.”

Roman sat up and reached for his satchel.

“I should probably go if I want to actually spend time at the lake tonight. Farewell!”

“Farewell, Roman.”

And the author left, his gaze set unwaveringly upon the stars. It was at that moment, while watching his friend disappear over the crest of a hill, that Logan realized he was in love with Roman Prince.

* * *

_ _

_**Logan kept his realization to himself. **_The fear of rejection was too great, and Roman was too important to him. He couldn’t risk losing his best friend.

For five months, Logan pined in silence.

Unbeknownst to the teacher, he was not alone in his love. Roman refused to believe his affections were reciprocated, despite the encouragements from his brother and best friends. There was simply no way Logan felt the same way.

So for five more months, Roman also pined in silence.

* * *

_ _

_ **Roman finally confessed on a Tuesday in December, at the local coffee shop.** _

Seven months had passed since that first meeting, and the author was reaching his limit. Logan made him feel things he’d never known before, things he’d grown addicted to.

Roman was deeply, hopelessly, completely lost in his love for Logan Berry.

The morning had progressed like usual. Logan had been waiting for the writer to show up, his coffee starting to cool off to a tolerable level. The shop was less crowded today.

“Logan! My favorite nerd! How are you this _beautiful_ morning?”

The teacher rolled his eyes at the other’s dramatics but smiled fondly nonetheless.

“I’m doing well. How are you? Has the publisher gotten back to you yet?”

Roman flopped down into his usual spot and held out a hardcover book.

“See for yourself.”

Golden letters on the cover spelled out A King’s Secret, by Roman Prince.

“Oh, congratulations! This is a _great_ achievement, Roman. You must be proud!”

“I am. And actually… I wanted you to be the first person to read it. I told the publisher to wait a few weeks before releasing it to the printers.”

The teacher ran his fingers over the spine of the book, a blush slowly blossoming over his face.

“I’d be honored.”

“Great. You… you can have that copy. I have another at home.”

And with that, Roman fled the shop, leaving a bewildered and extremely flustered Logan to his work.

_What was that about?_

Roman never left their little get togethers early. In fact, he often complained about having to go back to actually working, claiming Logan was much better company than the editors he was forced to work with. Sometimes, the writer would even insist on accompanying him to the university, just to have more time to talk.

Logan decided to push the thought of Roman to the back of his mind. He walked to work, keenly aware of the added weight of Roman’s book in his arms.

It seemed his mind would not allow the writer to be ignored so easily. Logan was distracted by the book all day.

_What was the plot?_

_Did Roman use any of his suggestions?_

_How did the story end?_

It was driving the poor professor insane.

Finally, to his relief, it was time for his last class of the day to end. Students were filing out the door, talking and joking around. Once the last sleep deprived teen had made their exit, Logan allowed his full attention to be captured by the book on his desk. He sighed, and opened the front cover.

A note written in red ink caught his attention. The words were neatly placed and carefully chosen. It read:

_Logan-_

_I know you don’t like this type of thing, but it’s the only way I know how to express my feelings so bear with me, okay?_

_I need not look upon the stars to see the wonders of heaven. The beauty of the cosmos is caught within your words, the majesty of other worlds in your eyes. A love this true I have never before seen!_

_Your laugh is a trumpet, sweet music to my ears. Your eyes hold the stars, twinkling with an intelligence I long to know. Your heart is warm and kind and true, and I can only hope that it loves me the way I love you._

_I hope you enjoy the book. Text me? 766-267-7423_

_All my love, Roman_

Logan was _not_ blushing. He wasn’t.

And he didn’t squeal happily either.

_ping!_

** _Unknown Number: _ ** _Your book has a wonderful beginning._

_ping! ping!_

** _Roman: _ ** _Glad you like it._

** _Roman: _ ** _and I hope you liked the note._

_ping!_

** _Logan: _ ** _it was quite a pleasant surprise._

* * *

_ _

_ **Logan confessed on a Friday, at the park near his apartment.** _

“Are you sure it wasn’t too much? I was gonna write _more_ but I was scared you’d be overwhelmed and I—“

“I found the poem incredibly endearing, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Oh. Good.”

Snow crunched under Roman’s boots as he walked, forming a steady rhythm that helped ease the slightly awkward tension that followed the writer’s words.

The pair reached a small bridge. Halfway across, Roman paused to survey the area. He hopped up onto the wooden railing and began picking at the fraying wood.

Behind him, the sun was setting below the tree line. The entire park was enveloped in a thick layer of snow. It resembled a postcard.

“Can I ask you a question, Logan?”

The professor snapped his attention back to his friend.

“Of course.” Logan copied Roman’s position on the opposite railing. “You can ask me anything.”

“Do you—you know—do you—“ the author gestured vaguely to himself, and adjusted his beanie absently.

“Like you?”

“Yeah.”

Logan smiled softly.

“I do. I like you a lot, actually.”

“Hm.”

Roman hopped down from his perch and continued down the rocky trail. Logan followed, worry prickling him.

“Ro?”

The author bent down, his back to the teacher. He seemed to be looking for something.

“If I misunderstood your question then—“

A snowball the size of an apple exploded on Logan’s face. Roman’s high pitched giggling floated over the snow, and Logan couldn’t resist joining in. He wiped the remnants of the frozen projectile from his glasses and glared playfully at the still giggling man.

“I will give you _one_ chance to surrender.”

“Bring it on, Specs! I haven’t lost a snowball fight since _primary_ school!”

And they were off. Roman dove behind a pine tree and immediately began forming his frozen arsenal. Logan snuck behind his friend and pelted him with a snowball, the icy pieces crumbling upon impact with Roman’s back.

“No fair!”

“All’s fair in love and war. This just happens to be _both_.”

The teacher sprinted through the park, laughing and dodging snowballs as he went. Roman was fully invested in their war now.

“You’re going down, Lo!”

“Never!”

A snowball flew straight past the teacher’s ear, landing a few yards away. Logan retaliated with a well aimed throw. A half a second later and then—

“Dammit!”

Another snowball flew harmlessly past. Peeking out from behind the cover of his birch tree, Logan taunted his foe.

“You’ll have to try harder than that, Shakespeare!”

“I am trying my _best_, you _fiend!”_

“Try _harder!”_

The sun had slipped past the horizon by the time the two men called it quits. Exhausted, hungry, and probably half frozen, Roman and Logan made their way back to their cars.

Before Logan could retreat to the warmth of his truck, a hand wrapped around his wrist.

“Hey.”

Roman gave the teacher a shy smile and tugged him closer.

“Roman?” Logan’s voice was laced with confusion.

The author took another step towards him.

“Tell me if you want me to stop.”

“What do you—“

Logan cut himself off abruptly when Roman pushed him backwards, crowding the professor up against his truck. And then Roman was leaning forward, one hand tangling in Logan’s hair while the other held his hip.

“Is this—“

_“Yes.”_

Roman let out a soft laugh before closing the gap between them.

Logan pressed into the embrace, wrapping one arm around Roman’s shoulders and reaching up to cup the author’s cheek with the other.

He tasted like peppermint.

Roman broke the kiss gently, moving away only enough to speak. His lips brushed Logan’s as he murmured softly.

“Merry Christmas, Specs.”

The teacher made a low sound before sharply pulling the taller man back down into a kiss.

Snowdrifts caught the moonbeams and scattered them through the air, welcoming the new flakes that had begun to fall from the clouds. One of the snowflakes danced its way down and landed on a maroon beanie.

_Beside a blue Toyota, a writer kissed his love for the second time._


End file.
